Avalanche Advisory
Advisory: Logan Area Mountains Issued by Toby Weed for Tuesday - April 8, 2014 - 7:07am
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Heightened avalanche conditions exist and there's a MODERATE or level 2 danger in the Backcountry. Triggered wind slab avalanches and cornice falls are possible on drifted upper elevation slopes. Sun and warming may create dangerous conditions, and the danger of wet or heat related avalanches will probably rise to CONSIDERABLE or level 3 this afternoon in some steep terrain. Evaluate the snow and terrain carefully.

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current conditions

The snow will get sloppy earlier today after a poor overnight re-freeze, and we're expecting a very warm and sunny day in the mountains. The Tony Grove Snotel at 8400' reports 34 degrees and there's 109 inches of total snow, with 136% of average water content for the date. It's 30 degrees at the 9700' CSI Logan Peak weather station, and I'm currently reading west-northwest winds averaging in the mid teens.


recent activity

Several people triggered shallow wind slabs yesterday in the Central Wasatch Range backcountry, with one person able to self arrest after being caught. Locally: A snowboarder unintentionally triggered and was able to ride off of a shallow wind slab on the north face of Millville Peak yesterday. Also, observers reported natural wet avalanche activity in lower Providence Canyon and in the Wellsvilles from over the weekend. Visit our Backcountry Observations Page for details on the season's activity.

A shallow triggered soft slab on Millville Peak, 4-7-2014. Flygare
Avalanche Problem 1
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 24 hours
description
  • Continuing drifting and warmth are keeping shallow wind slabs active as several folks found out yesterday
  • You could trigger shallow wind slab avalanches in steep drifted terrain again today. Avoid stiffer, recently drifted fresh snow in steep terrain and in and around terrain features like gully walls, outcroppings, or under cliffs.
  • Avoid and stay out from under large and overhanging cornices along major ridge-lines, which are likely to break further back than you expect and could trigger avalanches on slopes below. It's especially important to stay out from under these guys when they are forming with drifting and during the heat of the day, when some may naturally fail and calve off in large chunks.
Avalanche Problem 2
type aspect/elevation characteristics
LIKELIHOOD
LIKELY
UNLIKELY
SIZE
LARGE
SMALL
TREND
INCREASING DANGER
SAME
DECREASING DANGER
over the next 10 hours
description

Direct sun and warming will cause a heightened avalanche danger on steep slopes today, and dangerous wet or heat related conditions may well develop. Avoid and stay out from under steep slopes with saturated snow.
weather

It'll be sunny and almost hot in the mountains today, with 9000' high temperatures forecast to reach 52 degrees. Expect overnight low temperatures, well above freezing tonight, around 38 degrees. It'll be mostly sunny tomorrow, but with a few clouds and maybe more of a southwest breeze and a high of 54 degrees expected. Warm weather will continue through the week, with a few snow showers possible on Wednesday.

Check out our one-stop weather page........HERE
general announcements

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Remember your information can save lives. If you see anything we should know about, please participate in the creation of our own community avalanche advisory by submitting snow and avalanche conditions. You can also call us at 801-524-5304 or 800-662-4140, email by clicking HERE, or include #utavy in your tweet or Instagram.

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I'll issue weekend and intermittent advisories through April.

This advisory is produced by the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, which is solely responsible for its content. It describes only general avalanche conditions and local variations always exist.